Electric clock cord storage device



June 17, 1958 c. B. MARBLE ELECTRIC CLOCK CORD STORAGE DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 2, 1954 M rb e, V I")??? r w m wi Kw a m w W 6 w mh AW United States Patent ELECTRIC CLOCK CORD STORAGE DEVICE Chester B. Marble, Ashland, Mass., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application November 2, 1954, Serial No. 466,371, now Patent No. 2,789,412, dated April 23, 1957. Divided and this application March 16, 1956, Serial No. 571,969

2 Claims. (CI. 58-54) My invention relates to cord storage means. This application is a division of my application Serial No. 466,371, filed November 2, 1954, entitled Electric Clock, now Patent No. 2,789,412 dated April 23, 1957.

It is frequently necessary or desirable to provide electric clocks with cord storage means for storing that amount of cord in excess of that required to reach an electric outlet from the clock. My invention is concerned with such an electric clock cord storage device.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified cord storage means for a clock.

In accordance with one aspect of this invention, a generally cylindrical housing is provided for housing the clock mechanism and for winding an electrical cord thereon. The housing includes a back wall and a circular flange projecting rearwardly beyond said back wall. A rib extends transversely between spaced points on the circular flange thereby to provide a confined space between said rib and a portion of said circular flange. The portion of the circular flange defined by the rib has a plurality of notches therein for receiving a loop of the clock cord. The rib is so spaced as to prevent any substantial inward movement of the loop of the clock cord. By this arrangement, a very simple yet effective cord storage device is obtained.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this inven tion will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a clock provided with my improved cord storage means;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the clock;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the clock;

Fig. 4 is a partial view of a portion of the clock looking at the bottom of the clock; and

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevational view of the clock.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a clock housing which is formed from two one-piece molded members 2 and 3. Front member 2 includes dial plate 4, surrounding annular flange S concentric with the dial plate, and a plurality of clock numerals 6 connecting the dial plate and the surrounding decorative annular flange 5. Back casing 3 is secured to front member 2 by means of screws 12.

Back casing 3 is provided for enclosing the clock mechanism and this casing also forms a unique cord storage device. In the arrangement illustrated, back casing member 3 includes a cylindrical portion 17 which substantially encloses the clock mechanism and a surrounding curved annular flange 18. Extending radially outwardly from annular flange 18 are three circumferentially spaced cars 19 which are molded as integral portions of back casing member 3. Screws 12 are passed through openings in ears 19 to assemble back casing 3 onto front member 2. Ribs 21 extend between cylindrical portion 17 of back casing and each of ears 19 for sup- 2,838,905 Patented June 17, 1958 porting cars 19. Each rib 21 extends rearwardly from annular flange 18 and is formed integral with flange 18, cylindrical portion 17, and a corresponding ear 19.

Casing 3 is also provided with means for allowing an electrical cord 14 to extend from the clock mechanism to the outside of the casing. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4, this comprises enlarged opening 22 and small recess 23 which may be formed integral with rear casing 3. Recess 23 is of a size approximating a cross sectional dimension of the cord 14. A tongue 25 formed integral with front member 2 is inserted within enlarged opening 22 to close this opening. It can be seen that small recess 23 remains open for the passage of cord 14. It should be appreciated that cord 14 supplies power to the clock mechanism. Tongue 25 and enlarged opening 22 do not constitute a part of this invention, but are more particularly described and claimed in my parent application Serial No. 466,371 mentioned above.

The details of my improved cord storage means will now be set forth. As shown in Fig. 3, one piece molded member 3 includes back wall 26 which is arranged generally perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical portion 17. With this arrangement, cylindrical portion 17 includes a circular flange 27 extending outwardly from back wall 26 to the edge of cylindrical portion 17. A rib 28 of substantially the same depth as circular flange 27 is provided near the bottom of back casing 26 extending between two spaced points 29 and 30 on circular flange 27. This rib 28 is molded integrally with circular flange 27 and back Wall 26 of casing 3. Two notches 33 are formed in portion 31 of the circular flange between points 29 and 30. Rib 23 and the portion 31 of the circular flange between the points 2? and 30 together form a confined space 32 for receiving a loop of cord 14.

Operation It will be appreciated that varying lengths of cord are required for clocks depending upon the location of the clock relative to the convenient electrical outlet. From appearance standpoint it is desirable that the length of the dangling cord be minimized. By applicants simplified arrangement, the excess cord may be easily wound around a drum formed by the cylindrical section 17 of the back casing, and the cord then looped through notches 33 provided in the circular flange along the portion 31. The engagement of the cord with the notches prevents unraveling of the cord from the clock. Thus, a cord of any desired effective length between the plug and the clock can be easily achieved without additional cost in the regular molding operation of the back casing since the ribs and the notches 33 are cast or molded integral with the back casing member. Rib 28 confines the loop of the cord to the space 32 and prevents the cord from inadvertently being pushed inward, thereby to lose eifective locking arrangement with recesses 33.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, and therefore, it is aimed by the appending claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clock comprising an electrical cord and a casing, said casing including a back wall and a flange projecting rearwardly beyond said back wall, a rib extending transversely between spaced points on said flange to provide a confined space in conjunction with a portion of said flange between said spaced points, said portion of said flange having a plurality of notches therein for receiving a loop of said cord, said rib confining said cord and preventing any substantial inward movement thereof.

2. A cord storage drum comprising a hollow cylindrical member for winding an electrical cord thereon, a wall tion with a portion of said circular flange between said spaced points, said portion of said circular flange having a plurality of notches therein for receiving a loop of said cord, said rib confining said cord and preventing-any subdisposed on the inside of said cylindrical member ar- 5 stantial inward movement thereof.

ranged substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylindrical member, said cylindrical member including a circular flange projecting outwardly from said wall, a

rib extending transversely between spaced points on said circular flange to provide a confined spaced in conjunc- 10 2,638,735

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Warren Mar. 6, 1945 Schlenker May 19, 1953 

